Dredging-machine.



, Patented Out. I, l90l. E. A. STINSON. ,DREDGING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 19012) 4 Shoots-Sheet I.

(in Model.)

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z i M N NW WITNESSES 7? No; 683,516. Patented Oct. I, l90l.

E. A. STINSUN.

DREDGING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

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No.- 683,516. Patented on. I, 19m.

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DBEDGING MACHINE.

(Application filed 1m. 1a, 1901. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVARD A. STINSON, OF FRANKFORT, INDIANA.

DREDGlNG-IVIACHINE.

SPEGIFILGATION formingpm of Letters-Patent a... 683,51 dated October 1,- 1 901. Application filed Mai-oh 18; 1901. Serial No. 51;778. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. STINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Frank'- fort, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredging-Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a machine for rapid continuous excavating which is adapted especially for large work, such as the cutting of canals and large ditches.

Said invention principally consists in the construction of the excavators, which are composed of frames bearing endless carriers, to which are connected a number of dredgepans or scoops which are adapted to follow each other and operate successively upon the material to be removed.

It further consists in certain details of construction and arrangements of parts whereby convenience, certainty, and celerity of operation are secured and the object of the invention effectually carried out, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a dredging-machine embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, an end elevation as seen from the dotted line 3 3 alongside Fig. 2; Fig. a, a transverse vertical view as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line at 4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the excavator, on an enlarged scale, as seen from the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 1, showing the scoop in the posit-ion it occupies when in the act of dumpin g; Fig. 6, a similar view of the lower portion of the excavator, a portion of the cutter being broken away to show the construction and arrangement of the sprocket-wheel, carrier, and frame containing the guiding-grooves; Fig. 7 a transverse sectional view, on a still further enlarged scale, as seen from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 8; Fig. 8, a detail sectional view as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 8 8 in Fig. 7, illustrating the connections between one of the scoops, the endless carrier, and the scoop-controlling devices, and especially showing how the scoops are shifted from their excavating to their carrying position, one scoop being shown in the cutting position in full lines and as when shifted to the carrying position in dotted lines; Fig. 9, a detail sectional View as seen from the dotted line 9-9 in Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 a detail view as seen from the dotted line 10 10 in Fig. 9.

As above stated, my invention is designed especially for large work. I have therefore, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1, provided a series of excavators embodying scoop-car riers, the number of excavators being such as to produce a machine of the desired width without making the individual carriers and scoops too large and cumbersome. In the drawings, Fig. 1, I have shown four of these excavators arrangedsidebyside. Obviously, however, the number may be more or less, as required. A single one is completely operative, while, as illustrated, four is a convenient number, and a still larger number may be used when desired, as will be readily understood. This being understood, I will hereinafter for the most part describe the machine with a single carrier and its series of scoops, the others being understood to be duplicates of the one described.

In the general views, Figs. 1 to 4:, inclusive, I have shown these excavators comparatively short and including seven scoops only. As best shown in Fig. 2, four of these scoops are illustrated in the position they occupy when returning for a fresh load. One of them is just approaching the position to discharge its load, one of them is traveling toward the point of discharge after having taken on its load, while one is just approaching the point where it will take on its load. As illustrated, the last-mentioned one is the last of the series, and immediately behind it are shown the rotary cutters, which travel in advance of the whole series of scoops, the first scoop of which series being shown immediately above said cutter and ready to follow it when brought around by the carrier. It will thus be seen that the scoops are arranged in a regular series, and in operation the material to be excavated is first loosened by the cutters, and then each scoop in succession follows the cutters and takes on its load, the first scoop of the series taking its l'oad'a-t the bottom of the incline, after which it is raised, when a second scoop takes its load a little farther up ihe incline, after which it is raised, and so on, the complete operation resulting in the removal of a uniform inclined layer extending from the bottom of the cavity being excavated to the top of the ground, each scoop taking its proper portion of said layer,whereupon the entire machine is moved forward slightly and the operation repeated, and so on until the completion of the work.

The general operation of the machine having been stated, I will now proceed to describe the construction and operation in detail.

The driving mechanism of this machine is mounted on a heavy platform 1, which is carried by wheels 2, similar to ordinary carwheels and which run on tracks 3, said tracks being laid alongside the canal or ditch being dug, one rail on each side, as shown. These rails are taken up from alongside the com pleted portion of the work as the same progresses and carried ahead and relaid as a continuation of the track. At the rear end of the endless-carrier frames a winch-frame 4 is provided, which is also provided with a set of the wheels 2, running on the track 3, and the carriers and scoops are thus suitably su pported at both ends.

Any suitable motor may be provided for driving this dredging-machine. I have shown an ordinary steam-engine 5, upon the crankshaft 6 of which is the band Wheel or pulley 7, and from this a belt 8 runs to anotherpulley 9 on the main machine-shaft 10. At the ends this shaft 10 is provided with bevel-pinions 11, which engage with bevel gear-wheels 12 on the shafts l3 and 14:. These in turn are provided with pinions 15, which engage with bevel-gears 16 on the carrier-driving shaft 17. As will be noticed, these gear wheels and pinions are so proportioned that there is a great multiplication of power from the shaft 10 to the shaft 17, so that the eX- ca-vator-carriers are driven slowly but very powerfully and efficiently.

The motor and driving mechanism con nected thereto just briefly described are or may be of any ordinary or desired construction and will not, therefore, be further described herein, except incidentally in describing the invention.

The dredging apparatus has a frame 20, through which, at the upper end, the shaft 17 passes. Said frame also carries the shaft 21 at the lower end. The shaft 17 carries the bevel gear-wheel 16, as just described, and also carries a set of heavy carrier sprocketwheels 22. The shaft 21 likewise carries a set of similar heavy sprocket-wheels 23, as shown. Running over these wheels 22 is the endless carrier 24, which, as shown, is preferably composed of alternately long and series of short links. The wheels 22 are formed, accordingly, with long bearing-spaces for the long links and sprocket-teeth of the proper size to engage with the several short links. This endless carrier in returning the scoops to their work passes rearwardly over the top of the frame 20. In drawing the scoops upwardly while they are doing their work said carrier passes in and is guided by grooves 25 in the lower edge of said frame 20, which keep it to the proper position. These grooves are best shown in Fig. 5. As is also shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8, othergrooves are formed in the face of the frame, one groove 26 being parallel with the groove 25, containing the carrier, and the others connecting these two grooves and extending downwardly between them. The first diagonal groove 27, or the one nearest the sprocket carrier-wheel 23, inclines upwardly in the direction of the motion of the endless carrier, running from the groove 25 to the groove 26. The other diagonal grooves 28 incline downwardly in the direction of motion of the carrier and run from the groove 26 down to and communicate with a groove 29, immediately above the groove 25, which contains the carrier. The scoops 30 are connected by means of arms '31 and 32 to heavy pivots 33, carried by the long links of the carrier 24. The arm 31 continues on past the-pivot 33 and serves as a lever for raising the scoop when filled. At its upper end it has a gudgeon g, which first enters the groove 27. As the carrier hearing it comes around the wheel 23 said gudgeon passes up said groove 27 to the groove 26, which forces the scoop down into operative position, where it is held in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 8 until it reaches one of the grooves 28. Meantime the link 32 operates as a brace, holding the rear end of the scoop down to proper position. The upper end of this link 32 is slotted and is thus capable of a limited motion over the pivot 33. hen the gudgeon g reaches the proper groove 28, down which it is to descend, and thus raise said scoop loaded up to position to be carried forward, it strikes a switch 34:, which is pivoted at the mouth of said groove 28, and the scoop is thus caused to pass to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 8. Said switch is so formed, as shown, as that the gudgeon g as it passes under it strikes a tailpiece thereon, and thus closes it down, closing the mouth of the groove 28, which has thus been used, and making-the groove 26 continuous past said groove mouth. The next scoop of the series will pass on until it reaches the second groove 28, when by means of the switch 34 thereto it also is operated. The several scoops are thus operated in this manner one after another until all have been filled and raised up out of the out. As they come around again a strike 35 on the carrier 24 comes in contact with arms a on the levers 36, which through other arms Z2 operate the switches 34.- and set them all open again ready for a repetition of the operation. By this means each scoop is kept in the out until it is filled and no longer, when it is raised out of the cut and the next scoop following takes up the work.

Positioned transversely across the main bed or frame 1 of the machine, directly below the shaft 17, is an off-bearing carrier 37, in twosections, each driven by a chain or belt 38 running from a suitable pulley or Wheel on the shaft 13 to a corresponding pulley or wheel on the shaft 39 of said transverse carrier. As the scoops 30 respectively reach the end of their journey and begin to ascend, being carried up around the sprocket carrierwheels 22 on the shaft 17, they deposit their loads onto this transverse carrier 37, the sections of which run outwardly to the bank and there deposit the material either onto the bank or onto some vehicle provided at the point of discharge to receive and carry it away. Suitable side boards 40 are preferably provided to keep the dirt onto said carrier 37, as shown.

As above stated, a winch-frame 4 is arranged at the rear of the main carrier-frame 20,by means of which said main carrier-frame may be supported at any desired position. In this frame Iprefer to mount two shafts 41 and 42, on each of which I provide a series of winding wheels or drums equal in number to the number of excavators included in the machine. By means of one of these shafts, its winding wheels 43, and a suitable winch winding mechanism (generally including gears 44 and 45 and a crank 46) I am able to elevate the entire frame structure, including all of the carriers, simultaneously. By means of the other one, its drums 47, clutches 48, and similar winding mechanism 49 50 51 I am enabled to raise and lower them separately, and thus operate the machine around and among stones or boulders too large or heavy to be removed by the dredging-machine itself.

The endless carriers 24,besides carrying the scoops 30, also carry cutters 52, which are so attached in relation to the scoops as to cut into the earth ahead and alongside thereof, thus facilitating its removal. These cutters may be of any suitable form desired; but I have shown them in the form of revolving disks sharpened on the edges and adapted to easily penetrate the earth. As will be noticed, these cutters 52 and the strikes 35 are so arranged that in any series of cuts the scoop immediately behind them operates first, the next one second, and so on successively until all have operated, when the successive operation of the series recommences.

Having thus fully described my said invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of a suitable framework, a main shaft mounted thereon, a motor whereby said main shaft is impelled, a frame mounted on said main shaft and having carrier and scoop guiding and controlling grooves therein, an endless carrier passing around said frame, scoops mounted on said endless carrier and provided with lever-arms having gudgeons which engage with the grooves or ways in said carrier frame, switches at the entrance-points of certain of said grooves, and means for operating said switches, whereby said scoops as they reach the respective diagonal grooves are caused to be raised thereby, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a frame containing three parallel grooves along its lower edge, one of said grooves being independent and adapted to contain and guide the endless carrier, and the other two being arranged above the first and having diagonal grooves leading from one to the other, an endless carrier mounted on said carrier-frame, and scoops mounted on said carrier having arms engaging with grooves in the carrier-frame, whereby they are controlled and carried at higher or lower levels, substantially as set forth.

' 3. The combination, in an excavating-machine, of a main traveling platform, a motor carried thereby, a main shaft also carried by said platform and driven by said motor, an excavating carrier mounted on said main shaft and extending rearwardly into the cavity being excavated, said excavating-carrier being composed of a carrier-frame, carrierwheels mounted at its ends, an endless carrier passing around said carrier wheels and frame and provided with a series of scoops pivoted thereto and having lever-arms extending up therefrom, said carrier-frame being provided with a series of scoop-controlling grooves with which gudgeons on said arms will engage, two of said grooves being parallel with each other, and other grooves extending diagonally between the parallel grooves, and means for switching the scoop-arm bearings into said diagonal grooves, successively, as the scoops are respectively filled in operation.

4. The combination, in an excavating-machine, of a platform, a suitable driver, and an excavator mounted thereon and driven thereby, said excavator consisting of a suitable carrier-frame, wheels mounted at the ends thereof, a carrier running over said wheels, scoops mounted on said endless carrier, arms extending up from said scoops and provided with engaging gudgeons, said frame being provided with a groove or way along its lower side in Which the endless carrier runs and two other grooves parallel therewith adapted to receive the bearing ends on the scoop-arms and diagonal grooves extending between and connecting said two last-mentioned parallel grooves, one of which said diagonal grooves inclines upwardly from the lower to the higher of said parallel grooves in the direction of motion of the carrier, and the others of which incline downwardly from the higher to the lower of said two parallel grooves in the direction of motion of the carrier, the last-named diagonal grooves being provided with switches at their entrance-points whereby the bearingpoints on the scoop-arms are guided thereinto as they reach them, respectively, and means for controlling said switches whereby they are caused to operate successively.

5. The combination, in an excavating-machine, of an excavator and means for driving the same, said excavator comprising a carrier-frame, wheels mounted thereon, an endless carrier running over said wheels and carrying a series of excavating-scoops adapted to be successively forced into the earth being excavated, and a series of rotary disk plows or cutters mounted on said carrier and running in advance of the scoops, and arranged with their cutting edges across the line of the edges of said scoops whereby the material to be excavated is cut in advance of said scoops and its removal thus facilitated.

6. The combination, in a dredging-m achine carrier, of the excavator carrier-frame having parallel ways or grooves for guiding and controlling the carrier and the scoops, an endless carrier running over said frame and guided at the lower side by one of said grooves or ways, scoops mounted on said endless carrier and provided with arms engaging with the other grooves or ways, switches at the entrance of the shifting grooves or ways by which said arms may be caused to pass from one of the parallel grooves or ways to the other, said switches having tailpieces whereby they are closed as soon as the hearings on the scoop-arms have passed, and strikes on said endless carrier positioned in advance of asie said scoops whereby said switches may be thrown open, each switch being thus adapted to control an individual scoop, while the succeeding scoop passes on over said switch to the next, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, in an excavating-machine, of a main platform, a motor mounted thereon, a main excavator-shaft also mount ed thereon and driven from the motor, a series of excavators driven from said shaft, a winch-frame extending across above the rear ends of said excavators, two shafts mounted in said winch frame, a series of winding spools or drums fixedly mounted on one of said shafts, connections running therefrom to the excavator-frames whereby the several frames may be elevated simultaneously, a series of spools or drums loosely mounted on the other shaft, clutches whereby they may be independently controlled, connections running from said spools or drums to the excavator-frames separately whereby they may be independently raised or lowered, and gearing on said winch-frames whereby said shafts may be respectively revolved as desired, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 13th day of March, A. D. 1901.

EDWARD A. STINSON. 

